I think the Volcanic and the Registered Mag should be removed. The Colt Patterson should be added due to being the first working revolver that paved the way for all revolvers to date. Also the Mauser 1896 should be added due to it was the first auto loader that took off or the Luger I can agree which was was stated. The Browning HP should stay because it was the first high cap. mag 9mm that really worked, everything before including the Luger and P-38 were single stack. That is all.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
American Riflemans Top 10 Handguns of all...
- Thread starter TRguy
- Start date
How have all of you overlooked the fact that the Smith & Wesson #1 revolver was THE first to utilize the bored through chamber in the cylinder, thus being THE very first practical revolving arm to utilize a self-contained metallic cartridge???!!! That's not innovation???!!! EVERY revolver to this day owes it's beginning to that concept, including the God Almighty Colt 1873 SAA. For that matter, Colt couldn't even produce that gun until Rollin White's patent ran out. Come on guys!! The #1 should have been #1 on the list.
(1)The 1911 is a great icon among handguns to be sure, but was the result of a number of years of developement, starting with JMB's original 1899 prototypes.
(2)S&W Hand Ejectors? See my opening comments.
(3)Glock 17? For what? Using ancient ideas, putting them in a piece of plastic and then using a great advertising agency to "convince" everyone that this was the answer to everyone's prayers? I would classify it as the "Obama" of handguns.
(4)The little S&W #1 should have BEEN #1 on the list.
(5)The Volcanic? I agree with previous posts on this one. Definitely not successful.
(6)The 1873 Colt SAA? Relatively simple? Yes, but only popular because of western movies and Saturday morning TV shows with Hopalong Cassidy, Roy Rogers, etc.
(7)The Walther PP series and variants? Popular carry guns to be sure, but not that innovative as the ideas had already been incorporated into previous handguns. Their shining star was the fact that they were commercially successful.
(8)The Broomhandle? It was fairly successful in it's career, but was not, as was suggested by one of the previous posters the "first" successful autoloader. That title generally goes to the Borchardt 1893, which, as everyone knows, evolved into the "Luger" pistol, arguably one of the most recognizable handguns in the world, ever. Incidentally, in terms of innovation, the Borchardt was THE first commercially successful autoloader to use a removable box magazine.
(9)Browning Hi-Power? A nice gun to be sure, and utilized widely around the world, but just another descendant of Browning's original 1899 prototypes. It's claim to fame is that it was the first large military handgun to utilize a staggered column removable box magazine, but certainly not the first autoloader to do so. It is, in fact, a favorite of mine, but I would not have included it on that list.
(10)S&W Registered Magnum? Who cares?
Two final notes: (1) The Parabellum ("Luger") pistol was THE first autoloader to be adopted by any army in the world, and, as such should have been on the list. (2) The 1900 FN/Browning was a huge commercial success and is probably the reason why we are so fascinated with autoloaders to this day. It, too, should have been on that list.
(1)The 1911 is a great icon among handguns to be sure, but was the result of a number of years of developement, starting with JMB's original 1899 prototypes.
(2)S&W Hand Ejectors? See my opening comments.
(3)Glock 17? For what? Using ancient ideas, putting them in a piece of plastic and then using a great advertising agency to "convince" everyone that this was the answer to everyone's prayers? I would classify it as the "Obama" of handguns.
(4)The little S&W #1 should have BEEN #1 on the list.
(5)The Volcanic? I agree with previous posts on this one. Definitely not successful.
(6)The 1873 Colt SAA? Relatively simple? Yes, but only popular because of western movies and Saturday morning TV shows with Hopalong Cassidy, Roy Rogers, etc.
(7)The Walther PP series and variants? Popular carry guns to be sure, but not that innovative as the ideas had already been incorporated into previous handguns. Their shining star was the fact that they were commercially successful.
(8)The Broomhandle? It was fairly successful in it's career, but was not, as was suggested by one of the previous posters the "first" successful autoloader. That title generally goes to the Borchardt 1893, which, as everyone knows, evolved into the "Luger" pistol, arguably one of the most recognizable handguns in the world, ever. Incidentally, in terms of innovation, the Borchardt was THE first commercially successful autoloader to use a removable box magazine.
(9)Browning Hi-Power? A nice gun to be sure, and utilized widely around the world, but just another descendant of Browning's original 1899 prototypes. It's claim to fame is that it was the first large military handgun to utilize a staggered column removable box magazine, but certainly not the first autoloader to do so. It is, in fact, a favorite of mine, but I would not have included it on that list.
(10)S&W Registered Magnum? Who cares?
Two final notes: (1) The Parabellum ("Luger") pistol was THE first autoloader to be adopted by any army in the world, and, as such should have been on the list. (2) The 1900 FN/Browning was a huge commercial success and is probably the reason why we are so fascinated with autoloaders to this day. It, too, should have been on that list.
Last edited: